From Quad-Bike to Quad-Copter

The flying
quad bike, developed by Neva Aerospace, is a fully-electrical vehicle that
could be used in parcel transportation, extreme sports and leisure, active
defense and heavy lifting. The drone, called the AirQuadOne, can fly up to 914
meters and reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour and is expected to
weight around 500 kg, out of which the batteries have 150 kg.

The aircraft
can fly for 20 to 30 minutes and is expected to be able to recharge at electric
car charging stations via direct wire connection or induction or a battery pack
switch.

The drone's
unmanned version will be able to carry weight up to 100 kg and take the place
of helicopters or emergency cars. The AirQuadOne will have an emergency
satellite communication connection and also 24/7 traffic management support.

A hybrid
version of the drone could fly even longer times, of around 60 minutes, based
on current battery technology.

The Neva
Aerospace co-founders said that they had been working on the AirQuadOne concept
since 2013, but had waited to share it until their static thrust technology was
proven and that it is an exciting use of their principles for 3D distributed
propulsion with electric turbines. It is also a safe and controlled approach. It
would seem that the only limitation lies in the current battery technology.

The AirQuadOne was presented at
the International Paris Air Show in the city's Le Bourget airport between
June 23 and June 25 2017.